Holder for paper rolls

ABSTRACT

A holder for paper rolls having a box-shaped housing which is adapted to be secured to a wall and with the housing supporting a mandrel which holds several rolls in a coaxial relationship. An end wall of the housing defines a circular opening which is concentric with the mandrel for the ejection of an empty roll sleeve. A slide is axially movable along the mandrel and a handle is connected to the slide and extends through an opening in the housing so that movement of the slide results in ejection of the empty roll sleeve and the forwarding of a new roll into position opposite a dispensing opening.

United States Patent Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Attorneys-William D. Hall, Elliott l. Pollock, Fred C. Philpitt, George Vande Sande, Charles F. Steininger and Robert R. Priddy AliSTliACT: A holder for aperrii'ilfiinl'iibi sifipli housing which is adapted to be secured to a wall and with the housing supporting a mandrel which holds several rolls in a coaxial relationship. An end wall of the housing defines a circular opening which is concentric with the mandrel for the ejection of an empty roll sleeve. A slide is axially movable along the mandrel and a handle is connected to the slide and extends through an opening in the housing so that movement of the slide results in ejection of the empty roll sleeve and the forwarding of a new roll into position opposite a dispensing opening.

PATENTEU JUN 1 5 Ian SHEET 1 OF 8 FIG] PATENTEUJUHTSIENI 3 5 4, 02

sum 8 0F 8 Fig. 10

Fig.9

HOLDER FOR PAPER ROLLS The invention relates to a holder for paper rolls, of which the box-shaped housing for attachment to the wall contains a mandrel holding several rolls in parallel, and comprising in its front wall a dispensing opening preferably covered by a lid, and located adjacent to one of its sidewalls, which is movable out of its normally closed position for the insertion of new rolls into the housing.

This box-shaped housing permits the storage on the mandrel of several paper rolls in parallel. Thus, after a roll has been used up, it is relatively easy to position the next roll on the mandrel into the place of the used-up roll. Until one roll is used up, the other rolls are stored inside of the housing and protected against soilage, or against damage and theft.

However, in order to be able to slide a new roll from inside the housing into the area of the dispensing opening, and into the place of the roll just used up, it is first necessary to remove the empty cardboard sleeve of the used-up roll. with known roll holders, however, this removal of the empty cardboard sleeve is only possible after opening of the housing. Thus, when the housing is locked, the user cannot himself put a roll stored in the housing into the place of a used-up roll, because he is unable to open the housing and to remove the empty cardboard sleeve.

Underlying this invention is the problem of eliminating this shortcoming, namely, of making possible the removal of the empty cardboard sleeve, and with it, the feeding forward of a spare roll stored inside the housing. According to the invention, this problem is solved by having the mandrel firmly attached to a cantilever arrangement to one of the sidewalls of the housing and by providing an ejection opening concentric with the roll in the end wall adjacent the dispensing opening for the ejection of the empty roll sleeve when a spare roll is fed forward.

With the structure of this invention it is possible, after the using up of a'roll, to readily feed the next roll on the mandrel into the dispensing position, whereby the cardboard sleeve of the used-up roll is ejected through the ejection opening in the sidewall.

Normally, the paper roll holder is arranged horizontally, but a vertical arrangement, in which the mandrel is pointing in a vertical direction, is equally possible.

The movable sidewall is advantageously attached to the housing by a hinge, or its equivalent, and lockable in its closed position by means of a lock, in a known way. After release of the lock, the end wall can be pivoted out of its closed position, so that the free end of the mandrel becomes accessible for the insertion of new rolls.

The lid advantageously comprises on at least one of its extremities a radially extending guide face, to secure the roll being used against axial displacement.

On the mandrel is advantageously sitting, in a known way, a slide with a handle reaching through a longitudinal slot in the housing. The position of the handle also indicates the degree of loading of the housing. For this it is also possible to provide index marks on the housing. I

In further development of the invention, there is provided, in the backwall of the housing, at least one hole, or its equivalent, which is accessible through the dispensing opening, but covered when the roll is inserted. These holes serve for the attachment of the holder to a building wall by means of screws. In this way, the holder can be mounted theftproof, as the attachment hole or attachment screws are normally covered by the roll which cannot readily be removed from the dispensing opening.

In using the holder of this invention as a holder for toilette paper, it is further advantageous that the top surface of the housing is either sloping to the front, or arched. In this way, it is automatically precluded that users deposit cigarettes or similar items on the top of the holder, as they would slide down the inclined surfaces.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the holder of this invention is characterized in that its housing consists essentially of two parts which are only slidable against one another along horizontal guides, and of which each one comprises only one sidewall. For, with this design, it is possible to fabricate the complete housing in only two separate one-piece components made of thermoplastic material by the injection molding process. Thereby it is relatively easy to remove the two parts from the dies, and there is no need for core elements, as the two parts indicated do not comprise an reentering regions, or have any surfaceswhich include an acute angle.

In further development of this embodiment, there are advantageously formed on the upper edge of the lid on the one hand, as well as on the upper edge of the dispensing opening on the other hand, axially offset semicylindrical shells which envelop a hinge pin in hooklike fashion. In this way, it has become possible to injection-mold the hinge flaps integrally with the corresponding parts, whereby these hinge flaps, too, are easily removable from the die, requiring no cores.

It is further advantageous that the sliding freedom of the two parts is limited to a distance corresponding to the width of a roll, by means of stops, or their equivalent. Thus, the part shifted out of place is still held to the other part and cannot be lost.

Further advantages and characteristics of the invention become apparent from the description of two examples of embodiments, in connection with the drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment in a front view, with part of the front wall of the housing shown broken away,

FIG. 2 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a perspective view, with the movable end wall opened, and

FIG. 3 shows a cross section along line Ill-III in FIG. 1.

An embodiment, advantageously injection moldable in two main parts of thermoplastic material, is illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 10 below, and in particular FIG. 4 illustrates this embodiment in a perspective view, in close position,

FIG. 5 shows it in the insertion position, and

FIG. 6 shows it with the movable part taken off,

FIG. 7 is a cross section along the line VII-VII in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 shows, on an enlarged scale, the hinge of the holddown lid in the region VII ofFlG. 4,

FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional detail in the area of the lock, along line IX-IX of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 10 shows a further cross-sectional detail along line X-X of FIG. 4.

The holder 1 of FIGS. 1 through 3 has essentially the shape of a trough which is rotated out of its normal position, and into the opening of which is fitted the backwall 16. To the right end wall 14 is attached, approximately centrally, a base into which is fitted the mandrel 5, onto which are inserted the paper rolls 10. The left roll 10 is in use position in the area of the dispensing opening 2, while the right roll is stored safely against soilage and damage inside the housing.

The roll 10 being used in held down by a lid 3. The lid 3 has two radial guide faces 4, one on each of the two extremities, and which secure the roll 10 against axial displacement. While the right end wall 14, which holds the mandrel 5 in a cantilever arrangement, is solidly connected to the remainder of the housing, the left end wall is attached to the housing by means of a horizontal hinge (FIG. 2). In particular, this movable, i.e. pivotable, end wall comprises an ejection opening 7, the diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the cardboard sleeve of the rolls, and which is arranged coaxially with the rolls l0 stacked on the mandrel 5. Thus, the empty cardboard sleeve 15 can be pushed readily through the ejection opening 7, so that the end wall 8 need not be opened, but can remain latched to the housing by means of the lock 11 and key 17.

After a roll is used up, the user thus only needs to push the next roll stored in the housing to the left into the dispensing is simultaneously pushed out through the ejection opening 7 of the movable end wall 8. A slide 6 serves for this displacement, and its handle 18 reaches to the outside through a longitudinal slot 9 of the housing. At the same time, the degree of loading is visible from the position of the handle 18, or it can be ascertained easily.

The holes 12, 13 serve for the attachment of the holder, and accommodate screws which are suitable to be screwed into the building wall. The hole 13 is located in a freely accessible ear; the hole 12, however, is arranged in the back wall in the area of the dispensing opening 2, and normally covered by the roll 10.

The embodiment now following consists of essentially two main parts, the surfaces of which do not include an acute angle, so that these main parts can be readily removed from their dies when made by the injection molding process of thermoplastic material, no core being required for injection moldmg.

The one main part consists essentially of the backwall 16 and of the integrally formed end wall 14, which carries the mandrel in a cantilever arrangement by means of a flange 20. The flange thereby butts above, below, and behind, against separate ribs 19 which are at right angles to the back wall 16 and to the end wall 14. Thus, the ribs 19 serve simultaneously as stiffening means, as well as for the positioning and as an assembly device for the flange 20 or the mandrel 5, respectively.

The other main part consists of the generally hood-shaped other housing walls 21 and the movable end wall 8 with the ejection opening 7. This element 8, 21 is attached to the stationary element 14,16 by means of horizontal guides 22, 23 and is horizontally movable along these guides. Specifically, these guides are arranged in the form of ribs 22, 23 on the upper and lower edge of the backwall 16, extending horizontally in their longitudinal direction and vertically in their width. The guide ribs 22, 23 are enclosed by matching grooves 24, 25 on the 'upper and lower edge of the hood-shaped, movable element 18, 21, and in particular, there are two each of these grooves 24, 25 arranged at an axial distance from one another at the upper edge and at the lower edge of the movable element 18, 21.

In the path of movement of one rib wall 24, at a distance of approximately the width of a roll from the stationary end wall 14, there is provided a stop earn 26 which has a ramp portion sloping toward the movable element 8, 21. in this manner, the movable element 8, 21 can be pushed past the ramp portion of the stop cam 26 during assembly, and it can be moved until it stops at the stationary end wall 14. However, a return movement of only little more than the width of the paper roll is possible for the insertion of new paper rolls.

The hinge for the attachment of the lid 3 to the housing 21 is equally moldable without cores and formed at the upper edge of lid 3 on the one hand, and on the dispensing opening on the other hand. in particular, there are formed on these edges semicylindrical shells 27 through 30 which are offset against one another and which envelop the hinge pin 31 in a hooklike fashion (FIG. 8).

On the left-hand guide face 4 of the lid 3 there is formed in addition a small, outwardly extending nose 32 which, when pivoted upwardly, hits against the rim 33 of the movable end wall 8, thereby limiting the pivoting angle of lid 3.

Screws 34 which are insertable through holes in the backwall l6 serve for the attachment of the holder to the building wall. In addition, there is formed on the movable end wall 8 a horizontally inwardly extending ear 35 which covers one of the attachment screws when in the closed position, so that it is protected against unauthorized removal (FIG. 9). A latch 36 of the lock 11 reaches behind the ledge 37 which protrudes from the backwall 16.

For the support of the freely extending stationary end wall 14, the movable hood 2] comprises a recessed edge 38 along its right-hand border (FIG. 10).

I claim:

1. A holder for paper rolls comprising, a box-shaped housing having a front wall, a rear wall, and

end walls, said housing being adapted for attachment to a plane surface,

said housing containing a mandrel holding several rolls in coaxial relationship,

a dispensing opening in said front wall of said housing and located adjacent to one of said end walls,

said mandrel being firmly attached in a cantilever arrangement to the other end wall of the housing,

said one end wall defining a circular opening concentric to the roll for the ejection of the empty roll sleeve when a spare roll is being fed axially to a position adjacent said dispensing opening,

said housing comprising at least two parts each having at least one longitudinal guide, a first of said parts being adapted for attachment to the said plane surface and the second of said parts being slidable relative to said first part along said longitudinal guides, each of said two parts including only one of said two end walls,

said second part when axially moved from its normal closed position permitting insertion of new rolls onto said mandrel in said housing.

2. The holder as described in claim 1, in which one of said sliding parts defines said dispensing opening, said holder further including a lid for selectively closing said dispensing opening, both said one part and said lid comprising axially off set semicylindrical shells which envelope a hinge pin in a hooklike fashion.

3. The holder as described in claim 1, in which the longitudinal sliding freedom of said two parts relative to each other is limited by means of at least one stop, to a distance substantially corresponding to the width of the roll.

4. The holder as described in claim 1, in which stiffening ribs are formed on the inside of said other end wall integrally formed with one of said sliding parts, said mandrel having a flange at one end thereof, said ribs being at right angles to said other end wall and to said backwall of said part in such a way that they serve as guides on the upper edge, lower edge, and inner edge of said flange.

5. The holder as described in claim 1, in which said backwall on said first part has formed thereon a guide profile on both its lower and upper longitudinal edges to form two said longitudinal guides, said second part defining a hoodshaped portion and having guide grooves on its upper and lower longitudinal edges each engaging with a respective guide profile to form two said longitudinal guides on said second part.

6. The holder as described in claim 1, in which said backwall of said first part defines a hole for receiving a screw to permit attachment of said housing to said'plane surface, said second part having an ear extending in the direction of motion which covers in the closed position said hole in said backwall. 

1. A holder for paper rolls comprising, a box-shaped housing having a front wall, a rear wall, and end walls, said housing being adapted for attachment to a plane surface, said housing containing a mandrel holding several rolls in coaxial relationship, a dispensing opening in said front wall of said housing and located adjacent to one of said end walls, said mandrel being firmly attached in a cantilever arrangement to the other end wall of the housing, said one end wall defining a circular opening concentric to the roll for the ejection of the empty roll sleeve when a spare roll is being fed axially to a position adjacent said dispensing opening, said housing comprising at least two parts each having at least one longitudinal guide, a first of said parts being adapted for attachment to the said plane surface and the second of said parts being slidable relative to said first part along said longitudinal guides, each of said two parts including only one of said two end walls, said second part when axially moved from its normal closed position permitting insertion of new rolls onto said mandrel in said housing.
 2. The holder as described in claim 1, in which one of said sliding parts defines said dispensing opening, said holder further including a lid for selectively closing said dispensing opening, both said one part and said lid comprising axially offset semicylindrical shells which envelope a hinge pin in a hooklike fashion.
 3. The holder as described in claim 1, in which the longitudinal sliding freedom of said two parts relative to each other is limited by means of at least one stop, to a distance substantially corresponding to the width of the roll.
 4. The holder as described in claim 1, in which stiffening ribs are formed on the inside of said other end wall integrally formed with one of said sliding parts, said mandrel having a flange at one end thereof, said ribs being at right angles to said other end wall and to said backwall of said part in such a way that they serve as guides on the upper edge, lower edge, and inner edge of said flange.
 5. The holder as described in claim 1, in which said backwall on said first part has formed thereon a guide profile on both its lower and upper longitudinal edges to form two said longitudinal guides, said second part defining a hooD-shaped portion and having guide grooves on its upper and lower longitudinal edges each engaging with a respective guide profile to form two said longitudinal guides on said second part.
 6. The holder as described in claim 1, in which said backwall of said first part defines a hole for receiving a screw to permit attachment of said housing to said plane surface, said second part having an ear extending in the direction of motion which covers in the closed position said hole in said backwall. 